Build A Mars Colony

by Dennis Randall

Your children are in charge of planning for a Mars Colony. Their mission?
To insure the colony's success by bringing along enough supplies and
tools to create a self-sufficient outpost of human civilization. The mission
can be a group or classroom effort, or a family activity. This activity has the makings of a world-class science project.

As a kid, I used to spend countless hours sketching plans for my own
Mars Colony. Part of the attraction was healthy escapism -- I was in charge
and my folks were on another world. Literally. But the part of the
ongoing daydream I found most intriguing was the problem of creating a
viable and independent world. I remember showing my plans to a science
teacher, who looked them over and offered encouraging praise before asking
a simple deadly question: "Doesn't anyone in this place ever go to the
bathroom?"

I gasped! My complex plan with hundreds of rooms had everything -- except
a single bathroom. Oh, well -- back to the drawing board.

Staying AliveThink of traveling to Mars as going camping with the nearest store several
million miles away. If you didn't bring it, and can't make it, you'll have
to do without. To prosper, your Mars Colony will need to "solve" the problems
listed below (more or less in order of importance).

Air Supply -- If you run out, you're in big trouble.

Water Supply -- Where is the next drink of water going to come from?

Food Production -- Will you grow your own, or live on freeze-dried Big Macs?

Waste Management -- Recycling is key and nothing can be wasted.

Heating and Cooling -- How does the colony keep from freezing to death?

Energy -- Will you rely on solar, atomic, or wind energy, or on something else?

Living Quarters -- Above ground or below the surface?

Factories -- How do you make the thing you need?

Transportation -- How are you going to get around on Mars? Walk, fly, or
drive?

Communication -- How will you stay in touch with the folks at home?

Laws and Government -- Who's in charge?

Recreation Areas -- All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy.

Build It on PaperKids are capable of creating complex and thoughtful designs with little
more than a pen, pencil, graph paper, and imagination. It's not absolutely
necessary to understand every detail of a system's operation to incorporate
it into your colony's plan. A waste recycling center could be as simple
as a box labeled "Waste Conversion," or it could contain detailed plans
for filtration beds, atmospheric CO2 scrubbers, and the works.
A side benefit of this process is that kids begin to learn the basics of
blueprint and map reading.

Your child may draw on many sheets of paper before he arrives at a design
he's happy with. A pair of scissors and a little glue could save a lot
of time. My Mars Colony had so many cut and pasted buildings it looked
like a ransom note.

Build It in 3-DA rough scale model of the colony can be built using found objects ranging
from blocks, cardboard, and Lego pieces, to recycled plastic soda bottles and
plastic cake and pie covers for domes. As in any project involving
imagination and discovery, the sky is literally the limit.

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